GUNS Magazine August 2013 Digital Edition - Page 22

The Mossberg 20-gauge 510 Mini Super Bantam arrives with an adjustable 10-1/2-inch LOP. starting early, starting right mossBeRG’s unique youth shotGuns. I holt bodinson nsuring the future of shooting sports by actively recruiting youth into the sport is a national goal of the utmost importance. We are reminded as individuals and organizations that mentoring young men and women and introducing them to the shooting sports is the future, and while it’s often hard to pry them away from their computers and iPhones, I think we’re doing a pretty good job of getting them out to the ranges and in the field. aristocracy for their children, but it shows how concerned they were that their children were suitably outfitted and hopefully would uphold their sporting heritage as they grew into adulthood. Fortunately, now housed in museums and private collections, many examples of historical youth arms have survived in surprisingly good condition. They serve as an inspiration and a reminder for our generation and our arms companies that our young men and women need firearms Making our job easier are the gun companies that have been coming up with new models of rifles and shotguns every year proportioned to youths or smaller stature adults. The crafting of firearms proportioned to youths is as old as the art of gunmaking itself. Over the last 500 years, there have been exquisite, scaled-downed wheellocks, flintlocks and percussion arms crafted for the youth of the day by the very best gunmakers. Yes, they were arms commissioned by the hunting that fit them, and their introductory experiences with suitably scaled arms will insure the shooting sports become a lifelong passion. Using the model designations of “Bantam” and “Super Bantam” across the entirety of its rimfire, centerfire and shotgun lines, Mossberg is the industry champ when it comes to offering youth and petite models in a smorgasbord of calibers, finishes and features. In fact, at last count, Mossberg offered 21 models of shotguns alone in their 500 Youth Series which covers the entire waterfront of scattergun hunting and target shooting. Focused primarily on .410 bore and 20-gauge chambering, Mossberg’s 500 and 510 Mini Youth Series shotguns include all-purpose field models with removable chokes. A specially engraved, 20-gauge, 510 Mini Super Bantam, Mossy Oak “Turkey Thug” model dressed in Mossy Oak Obsession camo with an adjustable synthetic stock and padded sling. There’s a 500 Super Bantam “Slugster” in 20-gauge dressed in Realtree camo with a 24-inch rifled and ported barrel, adjustable synthetic stock and cantilever scope mount. There are even several 20-gauge combination models with adjustable synthetic or fixed wood stocks with two barrels: a 22-inch general purpose, adjustable choke barrel for upland game and a rifled, ported slug barrel for big game. The 500 Super Bantam 20-gauge is offered as a shot and slug gun combo set with a stock adjustable for length-of-pull. 22 W W W. G U N S M AG A Z I N E . C O M • AU G U S T 2 0 1 3